Member News

The Lebanon Valley Chamber of Commerce was honored to recognize David Stein of Hidden Still Spirits as the winner of the 2016 Leon Hoover Entrepreneurial Spirit Award and Chris Gebhard of Hoaster Gebhard as the recipient of the 2016 Small Business Person of the Year Award. The winners were selected through a rigorous nomination process, and were presented with their awards at the Chamber's 36th Annual Small Business Awards Luncheon held on Wednesday, June 1, at the Foundry Craft Grillery in Lebanon. Thank you to our luncheon's presenting sponsor, LYLAB Technology Solutions, and to our supporting sponsor, Brushstrokes on Canvas.

The Leon Hoover Entrepreneurial Spirit Award is given annually to a small business that best embodies the spirit of entrepreneurship in its daily operations. Awarded annually since 1999, past winners of this award include Zinn Insurance, Marty's Music Store, Fresh Creative Inc., Just Like Family Home Health Care Services, and more.

In December of 2014, David and Joleen Stein bought a 100-year-old building located at 435 Willow St. in Lebanon. The building was then transformed into Hidden Still Spirits, a distillery and craft eatery. According to Hidden Still's website, "The idea for Hidden Still Spirits began seven years ago," as David's dream "to join the craft distillery industry and produce my favorite whiskey, bourbon. That has now become a reality." Hidden Still's menu includes handcrafted liquors such as rum, vodka, gin, and whiskey.

The Small Business Person of the Year Award recognizes the accomplishments of a successful area business person who exemplifies the entrepreneurial spirit, a unique marketing approach, and/or a special focus on the customer that results in a successful business. The Small Business Person of the Year Award has been awarded annually since 1981, and past winners include Frank Dixon of the Frank Dixon Foundation, Glenn Wenger of Wengers of Myerstown, Steven Kreamer of Kreamer Funeral Home & Crematory, Robert Funk of Arthur Funk & Sons Inc., and Ed Kercher of Kercher Industries Inc., just to name a few.

Chris Gebhard is the current president and CEO of Hoaster Gebhard, an insurance company. Chris' father, Pete Gebhard, started his own insurance company, Gebhard & Co., in Lebanon in 1975 on Chestnut Street after working for a national insurance company. The Hoaster Agency was founded by Eugene Hoaster in 1906. In 1996, the two agencies merged to form Hoaster Gebhard.

Congratulations to both of these Lebanon City businesses!